Today I welcome my good friend Celia Yeary. No, we've never met in person, but we are online BFF's because we've learned we have an incredible number of things in common. Honestly, with so many experiences, we share we must be related--so we tell people we're cousins. Do you think anyone believes us?
I'm so pleased Cousin Celia is here today to share her new release, HEART OF A HERO. She's offering one lucky person who comments a PDF of the book. Now, here's Celia:
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| Author Celia Yeary |
Thank you, Caroline, for allowing me to introduce a new release no one knows much about. I'm happy to have this opportunity to introduce a Contemporary Romance, a little spicy, full of hurting, revenge, and love. The title is HEART OF A HERO.
I wrote this story a few years ago and learned that most romance publishers wouldn't take it in its present form. You see, I do have a hero and a heroine, but the hero is entangled with a fiancé with whom he tries to keep secret from a young woman he meets and instantly falls in love. She, too, holds a secret, and so they spend a summer together—a long, hot, dangerous summer—in which they cling to each other, knowing they will have to part.
As a result, I held on to it, studying publishers who seemed to be more lenient with guidelines. I took a chance with Whimsical Publications, owned by Janet Durbin, and although we did some serious editing, the basic plot and characters remained intact. Thank you, Janet.
The story came to me in bits and pieces as I watched our men and women go off to war halfway around the world to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other dangerous places. Then I watched with a breaking heart, some of those who survived come home, often to more problems than they had on the battlefield. I always thought—now they must fight for their own freedom to have the life they want and deserve. As the reader will learn, Matt Carrington's family holds him hostage as much as the terrorists did.
Blurb:Matt Carrington escapes a terrorists’ prison while in the Army, but he has difficulty escaping the trappings of a demanding fiancé and his own parents. To get away to think, he meets pretty, girl-next-door Lauren Delaney, the kind of woman he desires. But his fiancé and his parents have other plans, and they determine to have their way—no matter what Matt wants.
Lauren Delaney is an independent young woman who quickly befriends the soldier hero who comes to town. Knowing he has another life in Dallas, she holds a secret, too. But she pretends neither have a problem in order to have the summer with him.
During the long hot months, a hurricane almost destroys the town. Matt and Lauren work with a team to save as many residents as they can, and in the process fall deeply in love. When the danger is past, the two lovers suffer from their own lies and misunderstandings. Can they find peace and happiness without hurting others?
Excerpt:
Lauren knew he was shutting her out.
Matt was angry, so angry that he couldn’t talk anymore.
She could figure out what had probably happened with his family and his girl. He had not been given time to sort out his feelings, or grieve for lost comrades, or contemplate his own life—which he almost lost. Lauren’s heart went out to him.
Walking to him, she placed her palm on his back, on the wound beneath his shirt. The ugly, sickening scar, with a matching one in front. At the river, she had plenty of opportunity to see it and plenty of time to feel the pain he had suffered. Silently, she had wept for him and prayed for him. Now, she knew for certain that the biggest, ugliest scar marred his heart and soul. His family had become the enemy.
Instead of talking to him, she took his glass from his fingers without his knowing. As quietly as she could, she began to collect ingredients for their dinner. Food would help him. Then, she had a plan that would soothe his hurting. At the same time, she would soothe her own.
He appeared in the doorway. “Are you okay?”
“Me, Matt?” she asked. “Well, yes, I am, but I’m very hungry. Aren’t you?”
“Are you angry with me?” With a frown, he ran his fingers through his short, dark hair and then let his arm drop.
She placed the skillet on the stove, turned fully to him, and spoke ever so softly. “Why would I be mad at you? How could I ever be angry with you, Matt? All I see in you is good and honest and generous. Do you think because you chose not to talk anymore, that I would turn on you? That’s unfair, isn’t it? You’re a free man, Matt; free to do as you choose, free to make your own choices. Isn’t that one reason you went to fight a war halfway around the world? To defend freedom? It’s precious, Matt. Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Whatever you do, don’t let them take it away.”
HEART OF A HERO, a contemporary romance set in Texas, is now available at:
Amazon Kindle--- http://www.amazon.com/Heart-of-a-Hero%20e-book/dp/B0059WEBUO/ref=sr_2_10?books&ie=UTF8&qid=13110820975&sr=1-10
PRINT AND EBOOK FOR THE NOOK:
B&N- http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heart-of-a-hero-celia-yeary/1104173045?ean=9781936167456&itm=3&usri=celia%2byear y
Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/
http://www.celiayeary.com/
http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Celia. Readers, thanks for stopping by. Don't forget to comment to qualify for Celia's drawing!
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| Available Now! For those of you not from Texas, that's the Dallas skyline in the cover's background |
23 comments:
Hello, Cousin Caroline--thanks for having me and allowing me to talk a little about my newest release, one that is special to me--Heart of a Hero. Oh, and I do hope that's the Dallas Skyline! I'm really not sure, except if it isn't, it's sure dang close!
I tried to keep my post short today, since we're all busy and too hot to do much work!
Celia
First, I am very happy to see that you've written a story with such relevance to the problems we face today with a war that doesn't end.
Heart of a Hero looks like a heart-wrenching story that will be remembered for a long time after the last page is read.
Celia, you have a lovely book cover and a great story full of emotion. I can't wait to read it.
Celia, what a lovely book. The cover is amazing and the story is heartwarming and tender, which I am a sucker for. I will be reading Heart of a Hero, for certain whether I win it or not:-)
Congratulations to you on your success in publishing.
Celia, what a timely story. And the cover says it all. This sounds like a very emotional and complex book, a yummy read that I am eager to sink my teeth into. I wish you great success with this and all of your wonderful books. Linda
Caroline, what a lovely blog you have. The greens are so inviting.
Hi Celia,
Heart of a Hero sounds like a really good book. I like Matt and Lauren a lot already, and what a wonderful time to have a person who appreciates our soldiers and can give one a caring heart. Congratulations!
SARAH--thanks. I hope readers will like it. Have you written one that you loved so much you held it close, afraid for anyone to touch it? That's the way this one is to me.Celia
MONA--I do like the cover very much. And I hope others see it as emotional as I did. Celia
Thank you for your kind words, Cynthia. I hope you like it! Celia
Thank you, Linda--You know how much I depend on your kind words and support. Celia
Gail--I'm hoping everyone will fall in love with Matt and Lauren. I have some real stinkers in there, too! There's a lot going on in the novel. Thanks. Celia
Hi Celia,
It sounds like you have another winner here. I like how you set it up that each of them has a secret. I can't wait to read it and find out what her secret is.
Maggie
Heart of a Hero sounds like such an interesting read - have added to my TBR list. Congratulations on finding a publisher willing to work with you!
kacbooks at hotmail dot com
Best of luck with this story, Celia. It sounds like a powerful story that needed to be told, and you're just the writer to do it.
Jacquie
Hi Celia,
Heart of a Hero sounds like a wonderfully moving story. Nothing like a wounded soldier to tug at my heart strings.
And what a wonderful cover.
Regards
Margaret
Celia, I love the cover. It really strikes to my patrotic core. I can see where the intial plot might give romance publishers cause, but I love those plots that most accurately reflect life. Did you have to do a lot of research for the novel? How long did it take you to write?
Smiles
Steph
MAGGIE--thanks for visiting. We know what Matt's secret is, but I don't let the reader know about Lauren's secret until a tense part of the story later on. Hope it works--Celia
KAREN--thank you. It helps if we know what a publisher will take and won't. By now, I have a pretty good idea, so I didn't waste time submitting it until I thought I'd find the right one. Celia
JACQUIE--I hope so! Thanks for your vote of confidence--I needed that today--I am so scattered! Celia
Oh, me, too Margaret. I have a real soft spot for our military men and women. Celia
Hi, Steph--I did practically no research since the story takes place at home. Everything in there is from my imagination. Hope I didn't make errors.
I wrote this before Hurricane Katrina, but it only took about three months. There's a hurricane in it I named Hurricane Crystal, and then when H. Katrina came up the next summer, I thought I should change the name--thinking a publisher would think I was using Katrina. But in the end I didn't, and it never became as issue. Celia
Your blurb is great, Celia. This does sound like an interesting plot. Best of luck with lots of sales. I do agree with Caroline, you two seem like family to me and I enjoy both of your blogs about your beloved Texas. You do your state proud.
Thanks, Paisley--yes, we do feel like cousins, having live in the same areas and not knowing it, etc. Just good old West Texas girls. Celia
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